I have a thing for California dials.
This combination of Roman and Arabic numerals harkens back to certain
pre-war Rolex and Panerai models, and was supposed to aid orientation
when diving, but I just like the novelty of it and the fact that it
eliminates the imbalance between the longer numerals VII and VIII on the
left, an the shorter IV and V on the right. I also appreciate the look
of wire lugs. These are styled after the first pocket watch to wrist
watch conversions of World War One, where wire was literally fixed to
the cases of pocket watches in order to fit wrist straps. It is a nice
throwback that accentuates the shape of the case.
With these two preferences, I should
really buy a Panerai Radiomir 1936, but two things hold me back. First,
the 1936 has a 47mm case, which would look cartoonishly large on my
wrist. Second, the Panerai costs about $15,000, and if I was dropping
that kind of money on my watches, I would be The Time Boss, not The Time
Bum. What I have really wanted was a 42mm, wire lug case with a
California dial. Not a copy of a Panerai, but something that took those
elements and ran with them to create something new.
It seems watch designer Nadim
Elgarhy read my thoughts. Once he had put the Makara Octopus dive watch
into production, he turned his attention to a new line of quartz watches
inspired by vintage trench watches, but with a modern aesthetic. They
launched under the Helgray brand,
each sharing a common case but utilizing different movements and dials:
the Field Officer, California, GMT, and Skyfighter Chronograph. MSRP
ranges from $220 to $350. For this review, Nadim let me test drive a
prototype of the $275 California ($250 for pre orders). I must insert my
usual caveat that reviewing a prototype is not the same as reviewing a
final product, as the level of fit and finish is generally lower, and
elements may change before final production.
The movement is a Swiss made Ronda
Mastertech 6004.B, a two hand, small seconds quartz. The Helgray series
was originally intended to have movements assembled in China using Swiss
parts, but the success of the Kickstarter campaign
allowed an upgrade to Swiss made movements. In the California, this
means a 5 jewel movement instead of the single jewel found in the "Swiss
Parts" version. I know many watch nerds who will not even consider a
quartz watch but The Time Bum is not among them. Don't get me wrong,
mechanical movements are fantastic machines, but quartz does many things
very well. They are accurate, reliable, thin, and best of all,
inexpensive. To produce these watches at the desired price point, quartz
was the right choice.
Like its siblings, the California
has a 42mm stainless steel case with wire-styled lugs that hide standard
20mm spring bars. Lug to lug height is 45mm. The case is round and bowl
shaped, which along with the tubular lugs, recalls the look of a
converted pocket watch. The crystal is flat mineral glass on the
prototype, but will be sapphire on the final. A domed crystal would have
added to the vintage look, but also the cost. The flat crystal also
keeps the thickness to a very reasonable 10.9mm, allowing it to fit
under a shirt cuff without any fuss. The overall dimensions are about
perfect for my 6.5" wrist. The prototype was made for only 30m water
resistance, but thanks to another crowd funding milestone, production
models will a far more useful 50m. Another Kickstarter-generated change
will an engraved "Founders Edition" case back.
A push-pull crown sits at 3 o'clock.
This is only aspect of the case that bothers me, and it is the only
real design flaw on the watch. It is only 3mm and domed. It is tiny, but
not so small that it disappears into the case. In my opinion, it is too
small for the watch. I don't believe a larger crown would have been
desirable, but a broader and flatter one might have maintained a better
proportion. Similarly, a recessed crown might have worked. Despite its
diminutive dimensions, I had no problem setting the time. The small
crown is hardly a deal breaker, but it is something I might have done
differently.
While not overly large, the watch
has a strong wrist presence. The oversize hour markers with their unique
layout is clearly the star of the show. In addition to the Roman and
Arabic numerals, an inverted triangle marks 12 o'clock, and 3, 6, and 9
are represented by horizontal bars. It is an unorthodox, love it or hate
it design. Once that has caught your attention, you can appreciate the
other, more subtle aspects of the design. The expansive black dial seems
to stretch the bounds of the case, right to the brushed rehault. A gold
minute index rings the dial, a color repeated in the Helgray brand and
the edging of the hour markers. The small seconds indicator is marked
with only four red bars and a simple gold baton hand. The model name is
also red. I find many watchmakers pay insufficient attention to
typeface, and many go overboard with unnecessary verbiage that clutters
the dial, so I appreciate Nadim's decision to limit text to just the
brand and model, and his choice of a fine lined, sans serif font.
Gold cathedral hands are filled with
the same white lume as the numerals. At night, the big numerals and
hands glow bright green. The minute hand is just the right length to
meet the minute markers on the index. A dial decorated in white, gold,
and red could be an invitation to gaudy excess, but it is executed with
tasteful restraint. The white pops the markers and hands for high
visibility, while the red and gold accents merely warm the dial without
overwhelming it.
The supplied strap is medium brown
buffalo grain leather with matching stitching and an engraved stainless
steel buckle. The color has a bit of orange to it, bringing it closer to
tan than brown to my eye, and pairing nicely with the red and gold
accents in the dial. It is approximately 3.5mm thick and does not taper,
which fits its field watch inspiration. Unable to leave well enough
alone, I tried it on a NATO strap. The usual olive/black/red regimental
stripe looked great, but a Time Factors
black/gold/red was perfect. I did note that the clearance between the
spring bars and case was rather tight. A standard NATO slipped through
just fine, but a heavier weave Zulu was a squeeze even after the bars
were removed, and a thick leather pass-through was simply too much.
Nadim says the lugs on the production version will be extended by 1mm,
which should alleviate the problem.
I wore the watch to the office with
olive and tan suits and while it did not seem out of place, its bold
presence made it a bit of a risky choice. The watch is really best with
business casual or "smart casual" attire. Of course, it would do very
nicely with jeans on the weekend, but not for anything messy as it is
far to nice to muck around as a tool watch.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with
the Helgray California. For a watch that is inspired by antiques, it is
surprisingly modern and brilliantly proportioned, despite the large
numerals. In his second watch project, Nadim has proven that he has
excellent taste, an eye for detail, and an appreciation for quality
affordables. After reviewing this prototype, I am very happy I ordered a
Helgray California of my own during the Kickstarter campaign. I look
forward to seeing what Nadim has for us next.
Pro: California dial and lovely details.
Con: Undersized crown.
Sum: Cool and sexy Californication. The Time Bum approves.
vedere di piu 
